A Shade of Twilight
by clsnham
Summary: Rei has a recurring vision with unknown intent, and it seems to be connected to a new Senshi. Will the arrival be helpful to the Sailor Senshi, or is Sailor Silhouette just another deep-space enemy after the heart of the world?
1. Midnight

Sailor Moon-Shade of Twilight  
  
A steady violet steam rose from the torn land's surface, twisting with eerie shadows as if to warn outsiders to stay away. The sky had deepened to an ominous red, stained with black, silent clouds. She rose to her feet, stumbling a bit- not in confusion, but fear. She knew what would cross her pale eyes if she stood up. Yet she still seemed as surprised and shocked as anyone would be at such a scene-  
  
'No-'  
  
The word echoed through her head so loudly she thought someone might be able to hear it. She forced herself to the cliff's edge, her trembling but tearless gaze moving slowly across the horizon.  
  
'How did this happen?!'  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The fire seemed somewhat restless tonight. Each flame mumbled to its neighbor with fading sparks, twisting around each other as if to avoid each dancing yellow-white tendril. But despite the tenseness, there was little heat. The coldness sent shivers through Rei's slim hands. Shivers through this Senshi that had seen so much in so little time. This new occurance was not to be ignored. Her white sleeves dragged noiselessly across the floor as she raised her poised fingers closer to the fire.   
  
Her eyes shot open, revealing an intensely-focused, ashy-violet. The glare seemed to calm the flames in an instant, standing them up in a militarian-style order, ready to listen. They didn't need to be told out loud, her eyes said everything they needed to know.  
  
Something popped up, way out in the corner of her mind. Something tiny, something hidden, but something that had or would have importance sometime in the near future. The closer she got to it, however, the further it shrank away. Her mind groped for something significant, a symbol, maybe- but only until she figured out why this thing was so faded did she see something in the fire. In a lighted moment of clarity, a hazy image began to toss in the fire. A book of some sort, little detail, just that it was connected to something that had always been close to them. The image vanished as quickly as it came, leaving Rei with an unsettling confusion. Something was going to happen- but there were no clues to what. At least, not in her mind. Maybe the others would know- 


	2. Moonset

*~Notes~*  
Just a boring little introduction chapter - *yawn*  
  
  
Chapter 1-Moonset  
  
The hallways buzzed with a tranquil afterschool air. Sunlight filtered through the windows, a cheery end to a school day that was unusually perfect for Usagi and her friends. They headed for the exit, Ami with her face in a book, as usual. Usagi and Makoto both wondered how she could walk like that, but they never did ask, even though it wasn't extremely difficult to pull a bit of her attention without breaking her concentration.  
  
It sounded like Rei wasn't having that good of a day, though, when she called that morning. Her voice was strained, faint, like she was up all night. They would be headed to the shrine right away to see what she had to say. Luna was probably there already, Usagi thought with a smirk.   
  
"Hey Ami, you haven't turned that page since class was over" Makoto observed, slinging her bookbag over her shoulder. "What is it?"  
  
"A riddle" Ami replied, somewhat bluntly but there was a surprising touch of frustration in her tone. "It's a real challenge. Take a look."  
  
The two girls inched closer, slowing to get a good view of the book.  
  
The earth, the water, and the sky  
All in this, this passerby  
Wraps them in a time of gloom  
Or in a lazy, soulful tune  
It's all around but it's always known  
It's something that no one will ever own  
  
"I don't get it-" Usagi whimpered.   
  
"That looks pretty tough" Makoto agreed, squinting. "Is it the sky?"  
  
"I'm not sure what that would have to do with a tune" Ami pointed out. "I'm going to take a look at it later."  
  
They crossed the schoolyard, yet again, a perfect scene. Groups chattered and giggled over the others. A violet-haired girl sat under a tree, sketching out something in pencil. A few boys kicked a soccer ball between them. 'Something would have to go wrong today-' Usagi grumbled. 'Where do these visions of Rei's come from, anyway?'  
  
The shrine itself looked placid and undisturbed. Rei's concerned expression stood out like a blue  
sky in a thunderstorm. She sat down on the steps with her friends. "So what are you so worried   
about?" Minako queried.   
  
Rei hadn't changed out of her school uniform yet. She hadn't even put down her bookbag. "I don't know exactly what it is. Something tells me it has very little to do with us, but it's pretty big."  
  
Usagi would have said something goofy at the moment, but upon observation of her friend's condition, she decided not to. She just couldn't stand everyone being so serious about something they didn't even know about.  
  
"It must have something to do with us" a low voice cut in.  
  
The girls glanced up to see Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna approaching. They all wore the same serious expressions Rei did. "But even I don't know that much about it" Setsuna continued. "It's almost as if we're not supposed to know."  
  
"But that doesn't make any sense" Haruka argued.  
  
"Maybe it's just something passing by" Makoto suggested. "After all, I doubt everything in the universe concerns the Sailor Senshi. Besides, nothing's happened here yet."  
  
"Yes. If something is going on, we'll figure it out" Michiru said. "We can't base our investigation on nothing."  
  
"Luna, do you -?" Ami started, glancing around.  
  
"Luna isn't here yet" Minako called.  
  
"Luna isn't here yet?!" Usagi repeated. "And she always yells at me when I'm late! Now I get to yell at her!" she proclaimed with a grin.  
  
The other bowed their heads. "Usagi -"  
  
Artemis' tail swept the ground anxiously. "I'm worried. I thought she might at least let us know if she was going to be late."  
  
"Maybe we should go look for her."  
  
The group split off into pairs, and set out to search the city. 


End file.
